A unique handheld sprayer has been launched which turns mildly salty tap water into a powerful disinfectant which kills 99.9% of germs, bacteria and viruses, including Covid-19.
The easy-HC10 uses an electrochemical reaction to instantly convert tap water containing just 0.25% salt into hypochlorous acid, a powerful disinfectant which the human body itself produces to fight infection.
It’s thought the British designed and manufactured device could be adopted by cleaning companies and operators eager to reduce the need to buy and store traditional disinfectant.
The easy-HC10 has been designed by Vapourtec, a leading manufacturer of flow chemistry equipment used throughout research and the chemicals industry.
“Hypochlorous acid is a powerful disinfectant which our bodies already use to kill germs. The easy-HC10 instantly produces it from nothing more than tap water and salt, eradicating the need for costly disinfectant” says Duncan Guthrie, Vapourtec’s founder and Managing Director.
Hypochlorous acid is a disinfectant which occurs naturally in the blood stream of all mammals. Highly effective at killing bacteria, fungi and viruses, and neutralising odours, it is also one of the only disinfectant agents which is non-toxic to humans.
It is used commercially as a powerful disinfectant but has a relatively short shelf life when stored.
The new easy-HC10 is a handheld sprayer powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and features a 2-litre reservoir which is filled with tap water and just 5 grams of salt.
Pulling the trigger produces an instant spray of hypochlorous acid solution, the concentration of which can be controlled depending on the intensity of disinfection needed, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
The spray rapidly kills germs and viruses, yet is safe to use on solid and fabric surfaces and around people and pets.
The battery has a 90-minute run time and each 2 litres of water produces around 25 minutes of continuous spraying, making the device ideal for disinfecting larger areas like offices, schools, health settings and public transport.
However, it’s the cost saving and convenience which the creators believe will appeal most to potential users.
“The easy-HC10 means there is no need to buy, store and carry around traditional disinfectant or bleach. It can cost up to 96% less to use than NHS-grade disinfectants” adds Duncan.
With commercial disinfectant costing between £0.75 and £4 per litre, the easy-HC10 requires just a few pence worth of tap water and 5 grams of salt each time it is refilled.
The device weighs just 3kg when empty and features a shoulder strap for carrying and operation. It dispenses the fine disinfectant spray at a rate of around 5 litres per hour for commercial and professional use.
“The device has some sound environmental benefits too as the disinfectant leaves no harmful residue and it eradicates the need for single-use plastic disinfectant bottles” adds Duncan.
The unique micro-Ion flow reactor within the device is protected by a patent and the easy-HC10 is now available to buy through Vapourtec and online.
Visit www.easy-hclo.com for more details.
The easy-HC10 requires 2 litres of tap water containing just 0.25% of refined salt (5 grams). For perspective, sea water typically contains 3.5% salt.
The electrochemical reactor converts the salty water into watery solution containing hypochlorous acid. The intensity can be switched between 45 ppm (parts per million) for food contact surfaces, 100 ppm for everyday disinfecting and 150ppm for deep cleaning.
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl or HClO) forms when chlorine dissolves in water and partially dissociates. Hypochlorous acid is found naturally in white blood cells of mammals, including humans. It is non-toxic and has been used to clean wounds and as a highly effective disinfectant.
The easy-HC10 has exceeded stringent UKAS testing criteria for disinfectant effectiveness.
The easy-HC10 features a 20V 4.0Ah battery with a 90-minute run time. Each 2 litres of water produce 25-minute spray time at a flow rate of 80ml per minute.
Vapourtec was established in 2003 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. They produce flow chemistry equipment which has been cited in over 700 peer reviewed science publications.